A/HRC/45/CRP.11 having Mr. Caro in custody.961 On 8 January 2020, the lawyer visited FAES premises in Quebradita, la Yaguara and Caricuao, but was told Mr. Caro was not there.962 On 8 January 2020, nearly 20 days after the arrest, Mr. Caro’s lawyer told the media that both Mr. Caro and Victor Ugas’ whereabouts remained unknown.963 442. On 10 January 2020, Attorney General Tarek William Saab told the media that Mr. Caro was in PNB detention, but did not specify where.964 On the same day, Mr. Caro’s lawyer submitted a habeas corpus request to Judge Villanueva.965 Also that day, Mr. Caro’s sister received a call from him informing her she could visit him at FAES headquarters in Caricuao. Mr. Caro’s lawyer was able to visit him on 21 January 2020.966 443. On 27 July 2020, Mr. Caro’s lawyer submitted a complaint to the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Fundamental Rights in relation to Mr. Caro’s deteriorating health. 967 Given his delicate condition, the spread of Covid-19 in detention facilities was further casue for concern. The complaint contained details of an alleged sexual assault committed by FAES officers against Mr. Caro’s sister during a visit on 21 July 2020, when they touched her breast after forcing to remove her clothes.968 444. On 1 August 2020, Mr. Caro’s lawyer released a video announcing that both she and a representative of the Public Prosecutor’s Office had visited Mr. Caro. The lawyer reiterated her request to Judge Villanueva to be accepted as Mr. Caro’s lawyer in accordance with his wishes.969 445. On 31 August 2020, President Maduro pardoned Mr. Caro, along with 109 others, and he was released from detention. Findings 446. Based on the facts above, the Mission has reasonable grounds to believe that Gilber Caro was victim of arbitrary detention and short term enforced disappearance on three occasions between 2017 and 2020. Officers from the SEBIN headquarters in Naguanagua, Carabobo, were involved in the first arrest and detention in 2017; SEBIN officers were also involved in the second arrest and detention in April 2019 in the Las Mercedes area of Caracas. The third detention was a joint operation conducted by SEBIN, FAES, GNB and PNB officers operating in coordination with one another. 447. Involved in the first short term enforced disappearance of Mr. Caro was the FANB’s armoured brigade No. 21. Officers at SEBIN El Helicoide were involved in the second short 961 962 963 964 965 966 Interview with Mr. Caro’s lawyer on 25 May 2020. Ibid. See also Efecto Cocuyo, Defensa del diputado Caro desconoce su paradero a 19 días de su detención, 8 January 2020, available at: https://efectococuyo.com/politica/defensa-del-diputado-carodesconoce-su-paradero-a-19-dias-de-su-detencion/ El Nacional, Defensa de Gilber Caro desconoce su paradero, 8 January 2020, available at: https://www.elnacional.com/venezuela/denuncian-que-se-desconoce-paradero-del-diputado-gilbercaro/ Telam, Fiscal dice que diputado opositor Caro está detenido y no desaparecido, 11 January 2020, available at: https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/202001/423108-fiscal-diputado-venezuela-carodesaparecido.html Interview with Mr. Caro’s lawyer, on 25 May 2020. Interviews with Caro’s sister and lawyer, 21 and 19 May 2020 respectively; El Impulso, Theresly Malave: Gilber Caro se encuentra bien de salud y firme en sus convicciones, 21 January 2020, aviailable at: https://www.elimpulso.com/2020/01/21/theresly-malave-gilber-caro-se-encuentra-biende-salud-y-firme-en-sus-convicciones/. In the meantime, Victor Ugas was released on 17 January 2020. Efecto Cucuyo, Liberan al periodista Víctor Ugas tras un mes detenido, 17 January 2020, available at: https://efectococuyo.com/politica/excarcelan-al-periodista-victor-ugas-tras-un-mesdetenido/ 967 968 969 https://www.facebook.com/LaVozdeAmerica/videos/319725335735667/?vh=e&extid=Qd5TgwSN2Z poG1AS&d=n Information received from Mr. Caro’s lawyer. Ibid. See also https://twitter.com/theresly/status/1289321621329608704?s=09 109